64 CDs of orchestral and concerto recordings, starting 64 years ago, handsomely presented and imaginatively curated - a document of a label-orchestra relationship, of famous venues and of the art of classical recording.

Few labels can claim to be so associated with a city as inextricably as Decca is with Vienna. And no history of classical recordings would be complete without a chapter documenting how both Decca and the WP worked to perfect the art of recording in the city’s great concert halls, most notably in the famous Sofiensaal.

Contents include:
- Classic Recordings
o Bruno WALTER – Mahler Das Lied von der Erde (1952)
o Erich KLEIBER - Beethoven ‘Eroica’ Symphony (1959)
o Pierre MONTEUX – Haydn Recordings (1960)
o Herbert von KARAJAN - Beethoven, Holst and Richard Strauss Recordings
o Karl BÖHM - Bruckner Symphony No. 3 (1970) & Symphony No. 4 (1974), Four Last Songs (Lisa Della Casa, 1953)
o Sir Georg SOLTI - Verdi Requiem (1968)
o Zubin MEHTA - Mahler Symphony No. 2 (1975)
o Sir Charles MACKERRAS and Richard CHAILLY - Janácek Recordings
o Clemens KRAUSS – Richard Strauss Recordings
o George SZELL - Beethoven Egmont (1970)
o Willi BOSKOVSKY – Johann Strauss / New Year’s Concert (1979)
 
- 3 complete symphonic cycles:
o BEETHOVEN – Monteux, Kleiber, Schmidt-Isserstedt, Solti, Abbado
o BRAHMS – Mehta, Schuricht, Böhm, Kertesz
o BRUCKNER – Mehta, Abbado, Solti, Stein, Maazel, Böhm (this is WP’s only complete Bruckner cycle, recorded 1965-1974)
 
- 5 Perspectives – producers, archivists and record executives from Vienna and London. Dr Silvia Kargl (WP Archivist) documents the orchestra’s unparalleled tradition. Three essays by the three great Decca producers Christopher Raeburn, Erik Smith and John Culshaw add the perspective of engineers, producers and executives, while Raymond McGill (Catalogue Consultant) and Paul Moseley (MD Decca Classics) tell it from today’s viewpoint.

- A document of a tradition. As long-term Decca producer Christopher Raeburn summarises: “There is a definite tradition in Viennese playing and interpretation as exemplified by the Vienna Philharmonic, and the collaboration with Decca has done much to preserve this quality.”

“To my ear, in the right conditions and with the right conductor, it is the best orchestra in the world...” - John Culshaw
 
“The glory of this version stems from the quality of the playing, its refinement in every department, the glow of tone encouraged by the acoustic of the Sofiensaal, Decca's regular venue in Vienna, and the flexible, lyrical style which comes naturally to Viennese performers.” - Gramophone (original review) on Mahler Symphony No.2 (Mehta)
 
“The VPO plays with towering commitment and the recording further helps to convey the sense of the music's vaulted splendour.” - Gramophone on Bruckner Symphony No.4 (Böhm)
 
“The 1952 Bruno Walter will never lose its place at the heart of any review of Das Lied recordings.” - Gramophone on Das Lied von der Erde (Walter)

Contents:
CD 1
HAYDN
- Symphony No.94 in G major 'Surprise'
- Symphony No.101 in D major 'The Clock'
Wiener Philharmoniker / Pierre Monteux
- Symphony No.104 in D major 'London'
Wiener Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan
 
CD 2
HAYDN
- Missa brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo
- Die Schöpfung (Part 1)

CD 3
HAYDN
- Die Schöpfung Part II 
Erna Spoorenberg, soprano (Eva) / Elly Ameling, soprano (Gabriel) / Werner Krenn, tenor (Uriel) / Tom Krause, baritone (Raphael) / Robin Fairhurst, bass (Adam) / Peter Planyavsky (organ)
Wiener Staatsopernchor / Wiener Philharmoniker / Karl Münchinger
 
CD 4
MOZART
- Piano Concerto No.15 in B flat major, K450
- Symphony No.36 in C major, K425 'Linz'
Leonard Bernstein, pianist and conductor / Wiener Philharmoniker

CD 5
MOZART
- Piano Concerto No.23 in A major, K488
- Piano Concerto No.27 in B flat major, K595
Clifford Curzon (piano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / George Szell

CD 6
MOZART
- Clarinet Concerto in A major, K622
- Flute and Harp Concerto in C major, K299
Alfred Prinz (clarinet) / Werner Tripp (flute) / Hubert Jellinek (harp)
Wiener Philharmoniker / Karl Münchinger
- Symphony No.40 in G minor, K550
Wiener Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan

CD 7
MOZART
- Requiem, K626 (Version by J Eybler, F J Freystädtler & F X Süssmayr in a new edition by H C Robbins Landon)
Arleen Auger (soprano) / Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo-soprano) / Vinson Cole (tenor) / René Pape (bass)
Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor / Wiener Philharmoniker / Sir Georg Solti

CD 8
BEETHOVEN
- Symphony No.1 in C major, op.21
- Symphony No.6 in F major, op.68 'Pastoral'
Wiener Philharmoniker / Pierre Monteux
 
CD 9
BEETHOVEN
- Symphony No.2 in D major, op.36
- Symphony No.4 in B flat major, op.60
Wiener Philharmoniker / Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt

CD 10
BEETHOVEN
- Symphony No.3 in E flat major, op.55 'Eroica'
Wiener Philharmoniker / Erich Kleiber
- Leonora Overture Nos 2 & 3, Fidelio Overture, op.72
Wiener Philharmoniker / Clemens Krauss

CD 11
BEETHOVEN
- Symphony No.5 in C minor, op.67
- Symphony No.7 in A major, op.92
Wiener Philharmoniker / Sir Georg Solti

CD 12
BEETHOVEN
- Symphony No.8 in F major, op.93
BRUCKNER
- Symphony No.1 in C minor (Linz version, 1866)
Wiener Philharmoniker / Claudio Abbado

CD 13
BEETHOVEN
- Symphony No.9 in D minor, op.125
Joan Sutherland (soprano) / Marilyn Horne (contralto) / James King (tenor) / Martti Talvela (bass)
Wiener Staatsopernchor / Wiener Philharmoniker / Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt

CD 14
BEETHOVEN
- Piano Concerto No.1 in C major, op.15
Friedrich Gulda (piano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Karl Böhm
BRAHMS
- Piano Concerto No.1 in D minor, op.15
Wilhelm Backhaus (piano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Karl Böhm

CD 15
BEETHOVEN
- Piano Concerto No.2 in B flat major, op.19
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Zubin Mehta
BRAHMS
- Piano Concerto No.2 in B flat major, op.83
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Bernard Haitink
 
CD 16
BEETHOVEN
- Piano Concerto No.3 in C minor, Op.37
- Piano Concerto No.4 in G major, op.58
Friedrich Gulda (piano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Horst Stein
 
CD 17
BEETHOVEN
- Piano Concerto No.5 in E flat major, op.73 'Emperor'
Clifford Curzon (piano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Hans Knappertsbusch
TCHAIKOVSKY
- Piano Concerto No.1 in B flat minor, op.23
Clifford Curzon (piano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Sir Georg Solti

CD 18
BEETHOVEN
- String Quartet in F minor, op.95 (Arr. Mahler)
BRAHMS
- Piano Quartet in G minor, op.25 (orch. Arnold Schoenberg)
Wiener Philharmoniker / Christoph von Dohnányi

CD 19
BEETHOVEN
- Complete incidental music to Egmont, op.84
Pilar Lorengar (soprano) / Klaus-Jürgen Wussow (narrator) / Wiener Philharmoniker / George Szell
SCHUBERT
- Symphony No.8 in B minor, D759 'Unfinished'
Wiener Philharmoniker / Josef Krips

CD 20
SCHUBERT
- Rosamunde, Fürstin von Zypern, D797
WEBER
- Preciosa — Ouvertüre, op.78, J279   
SCHUMANN
- Genoveva — Ouvertüre, op.81   
CHERUBINI:
- Anacréon — Ouvertüre    
Rohangiz Yachmi (contralto) / Wiener Staatsopernchor / Wiener Philharmoniker / Karl Münchinger

CD 21
SCHUBERT
- Symphony No.9 in C major, 'Great', D944
MENDELSSOHN
- Symphony No.4 in A major, op.90 'Italian'
Wiener Philharmoniker / Sir Georg Solti

CD 22
MENDELSSOHN
- Symphony No.3 in A minor, op.56 'Scottish'
- Athalie, op.74
- Die erste Walpurgisnacht, op.60 / The First Walpurgis Night
Margarita Lilowa (mezzo-soprano) / Horst Laubenthal (tenor) / Tom Krause (baritone) / Alfred Sramek (bass)
Wiener Singverein / Wiener Philharmoniker / Christoph von Dohnányi

CD 23
SCHUMANN
- Overture, Scherzo and Finale, op.52
- Symphony No.1 in B flat major, op.38 'Spring'
- Symphony No.2 in C major, op.61
Wiener Philharmoniker / Sir Georg Solti

CD 24
BRAHMS
- Symphony No.1 in C minor, op.68
- Tragic Overture, op.81     
WAGNER
- Parsifal — Prelude (Act One)    
Wiener Philharmoniker / Zubin Mehta

CD 25
BRAHMS
- Symphony No.2 in D major, op.73
- Piano Concerto No.2 in B flat major, op.83
Wilhelm Backhaus (piano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Carl Schuricht

CD 26
BRAHMS
- Symphony No.3 in F major, op.90
STRAUSS
- Vier letzte Lieder, AV150
WEBER
- Overtures – Preciosa / Oberon / Peter Schmoll und seine Nachbarn
Lisa Della Casa (soprano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Karl Böhm

CD 27
BRAHMS
- Symphony No.4 in E minor, op.98
- Variations on a Theme by Joseph Haydn, op.56a*
SCHUBERT
- Symphony No.5 in B flat major, D845
Wiener Philharmoniker / István Kertész
*Following Kertész’s death on 16 April 1973 this was completed without a conductor on 14 May 1973

CD 28
BRAHMS
- Hungarian Dances
DVORÁK
- Slavonic Dances
STRAUSS
- Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, op.28 
- Tod und Verklärung, op.24   
Wiener Philharmoniker / Fritz Reiner

CD 29
SMETANA
- Má vlast
Wiener Philharmoniker / Rafael Kubelík

CD 30
DVORÁK
- Symphony No.9 in E minor, op.95 'From the New World'
Wiener Philharmoniker / István Kertész & Kirill Kondrashin

CD 31
BRUCKNER
- Symphony No.2 in C minor (1872 Haas edition)
WEBER
- Euryanthe — Ouvertüre, J291   
- Aufforderung zum Tanz, Op.65, J260
Wiener Philharmoniker / Horst Stein

CD 32
BRUCKNER
- Symphony No.3 in D minor 
Wiener Philharmoniker / Karl Böhm

CD 33
BRUCKNER
- Symphony No.4 in E flat major 'Romantic'
Wiener Philharmoniker / Karl Böhm

CD 34
BRUCKNER
- Symphony No.5 in B flat major
Wiener Philharmoniker / Lorin Maazel

CD 35
BRUCKNER
- Symphony No.6 in A major
WEBER
- Der Beherrscher der Geister — Ouvertüre, op.27, J122
- Abu Hassan: Ouvertüre, J106    
Wiener Philharmoniker / Horst Stein

CD 36
BRUCKNER
- Symphony No.7 in E major
Wiener Philharmoniker / Sir Georg Solti

CD 37
BRUCKNER
- Symphony No.8 in C minor (Nowak edition)
Wiener Philharmoniker / Sir Georg Solti

CD 38
BRUCKNER
- Symphony No.9 in D minor
LISZT
- Les Préludes, Symphonic Poem No.3, S.97  
Wiener Philharmoniker / Zubin Mehta

CD 39
SCHMIDT
- Symphony No.4 in C major
EINEM
- Philadelphia Symphony, op.28
Wiener Philharmoniker / Zubin Mehta

CD 40
SIBELIUS
- Symphony No.4 in A minor, op.63
- Symphony No.7 in C major, op.105    
- Tapiola, op.112       
Wiener Philharmoniker / Lorin Maazel

CD 41
TCHAIKOVSKY
- Symphony No.4 in F minor, op.36
- Suite No.3 in G major, op.55
Wiener Philharmoniker / Lorin Maazel
    
CD 42
TCHAIKOVSKY
- Swan Lake, op.20 — Suite
- The Nutcracker, op.71a — Suite
- The Sleeping Beauty, op.66 — Suite
Wiener Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan

CD 43
ADAM
- Giselle - Acte un
- Giselle - Acte deux
J STRAUSS II
- Die Fledermaus — ballet music
VERDI
- Otello — ballet music    
Josef Sivo (violin solo) / Emanuel Brabec (cello solo) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan

CD 44
VIENNA HOLIDAY
Wiener Philharmoniker / Hans Knappertsbusch

CD 45
NEW YEAR CONCERT 1951 
Hilde Gueden (soprano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Clemens Krauss & Josef Krips

CD 46
OVERTURES OF OLD VIENNA
Wiener Philharmoniker / Willi Boskovsky

CD 47
JOHANN STRAUSS II 
- Champagner-Polka; Wiener Blut; Neue Pizzicato-Polka; Liebeslieder, op.114 
JOSEF STRAUSS
- Heiterer Muth — Polka française, op.281 
JOHANN STRAUSS II
- Explosionen Polka, op.43 / Wiener Bonbons, op.307 / Persischer Marsch, op.289 / Waldmeister — Ouvertüre 
- 6 Bonus tracks
Anton Karas (zither) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Willi Boskovsky

CD 48
NEW YEAR CONCERT 1979
Wiener Philharmoniker / Willi Boskovsky

CD 49
VERDI
- Requiem
Joan Sutherland (soprano) / Marilyn Horne (contralto) / Luciano Pavarotti (tenor) / Martti Talvela (bass)
Wiener Staatsopernchor / Wiener Philharmoniker / Sir Georg Solti

CD 50
WAGNER
- Rienzi: Ouvertüre    
- Der fliegende Holländer: Ouvertüre  
- Tannhäuser: Ouvertüre   
- Tannhäuser: Bacchanale   
- Siegfried Idyll     
- Kinderkatechismus    
- Götterdämmerung: Trauermarsch  
Singverein der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde / Wiener Sängerknaben / Members of the Wiener Philharmoniker
Wiener Philharmoniker / Sir Georg Solti

CD 51
WAGNER
- Wesendonk-Lieder
- Lohengrin — Einsam in trüben Tagen    
- Parsifal — Ich sah das Kind an seiner Mutter Brust 
- Die Walküre — Du bist der Lenz 
Kirsten Flagstad (soprano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Hans Knappertsbusch  
MAHLER
- Kindertotenlieder
- Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
Kirsten Flagstad (soprano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Sir Adrian Boult

CD 52
MAHLER
- Symphony No.2 in C minor 'Resurrection'
Ileana Cotrubas (soprano) / Christa Ludwig (contralto) / Wiener Staatsopernchor /  Wiener Philharmoniker / Zubin Mehta

CD 53
MAHLER
- Das Lied von der Erde
- 3 Rückert-Lieder
Kathleen Ferrier (contralto) / Julius Patzak (tenor) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Bruno Walter

CD 54
MAHLER
- The Song of the Earth
James King (tenor) / Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Leonard Bernstein

CD 55
HOLST
- The Planets
R STRAUSS
- Also sprach Zarathustra, op.30
Damen des Wiener Staatsopernchors / Wiener Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan

CD 56
R STRAUSS
- Don Quixote, op.35
- Aus Italien, op.16 Symphonic Fantasy
Pierre Fournier (cello) / Ernst Morawec (viola) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Clemens Krauss

CD 57
R STRAUSS 
- Sinfonia domestica, op.53
- Le Bourgeois gentilhomme — Suite, op.60
Wiener Philharmoniker / Clemens Krauss

CD 58
STRAUSS
- Ein Heldenleben, op.40
- Vier letzte Lieder, AV150
Kiri Te Kanawa (soprano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Sir Georg Solti

CD 59
DVORÁK
- Piano Concerto in G minor, Op.33, B63
BARTÓK
- Two Portraits, Op.5, Sz37
- The Miraculous Mandarin, Sz73 (complete ballet)
Erich Binder (violin) / András Schiff (piano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Chor der Wiener Staatsoper / Christoph von Dohnányi

CD 60
SCHOENBERG
- 6 Orchester-Lieder, op.8
BERG
- Symphonic Pieces from the opera Lulu (Lulu Suite)
R STRAUSS
- Salome, op.54 
Anja Silja (soprano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Christoph von Dohnányi
 
CD 61
JANÁCEK
- Sinfonietta
- Taras Bulba - Rhapsody after Gogol
- Orchestral Suite (from The Cunning Little Vixen, arr. Václav Talich)
Wiener Philharmoniker / Sir Charles Mackerras

CD 62
JANÁCEK
- Msa glagolskaja (Glagolitic Mass)
Eva Urbanová (soprano) / Marta Benacková (mezzo-soprano) / Vladimir Bogachov (tenor), Richard Novák (bass), Thomas Trotter (organ)
Slovak Philharmonic Choir / Wiener Philharmoniker / Riccardo Chailly
ZEMLINKSKY:
- Psalm 83    
KORNGOLD
- Passover Psalm, op.30   
Eva Urbanová (soprano) / Slovak Philharmonic Choir / Wiener Philharmoniker / Riccardo Chailly
 
CD 63
KHACHATURIAN
- Spartacus: excerpts
- Gayaneh: excerpts
Wiener Philharmoniker / Aram Khachaturian
J STRAUSS II
Kadettenball • Graduation Ball (arr. Antal Dorati) 
Wiener Philharmoniker / Willi Boskovsky

CD 64
KODÁLY
- Variations on a Hungarian Folk Song
BLACHER
- Variations on a theme of Paganini, op.26   
ELGAR
- Variations on an Original Theme, op.36 'Enigma'
Wiener Philharmoniker / Sir Georg Solti

BONUS CD
KHACHATURIAN
- Symphony No.2
Kurt Leimer (piano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Aram Khachaturian
LEIMER
- Piano Concerto no.4
Kurt Leimer (piano) / Wiener Philharmoniker / Robert Wagner